1. Field of Use
This invention relates generally to air conditioning systems, and more particularly to a louver for directing and maintaining air flow from a vent in a desired direction.
2. Description of Related Art
Louvers may be used to direct and control fluid flow from a system in a desired direction. Louvers may also control an amount of fluid that flows from the system. Louvers may be used in an automobile ventilation system to control the direction that air flows when the air exits the ventilation system. Louvers may be used in building ventilation systems. Louvers may also be used in a number of other applications, including but not limited to, controlling an amount of light that enters a window or aperture, and controlling liquid flow through a system.
A louver may include a number of louver vanes that allow fluid passing through the louver to be directed in a desired direction (e.g., right or left, or up and down). Louvers may include a mechanism that allows the direction of the vanes to be simultaneously adjusted. Typical mechanisms require that the vanes of the louver include linking structure that allows all of the vanes to simultaneously move when an actuator is moved. One type of louver includes a wheel actuator. Another type of louver includes a lever actuator. When the actuator is rotated (a wheel actuator) or moved (a lever actuator) the directional position of louver vanes are changed. The linking structure may require that the vanes be placed within a louver body in a particular order. The need for particular vane structures may increase complexity, assembly cost, and number of individual parts needed to form the louver.
A louver may include a mechanism that allows the louver to be rotated so that fluid flowing through louver is directed in a first or second direction (e.g., up and down, or right and left). Typically, a rotational portion of the louver allows control of air flow in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to control of air flow provided by positional adjustment of louver vanes. For example, if louver vanes allow air flow to be adjusted in a left and right direction, a rotational portion of the louver may allow the air flow to be controlled in an up and down direction. In some louver embodiments, such as louvers for building ventilation systems, louvers may not include rotational portions.
A louver with a rotational portion may include projections and grooves on mating rotational and stationary portions of the louver. The projections and grooves may provide interlocking engagement that holds the rotational portion of the louver in a fixed position relative to the stationary portion of the louver. The interlocking engagement may inhibit unintentional movement of the rotational portion of the louver due to vibrational forces or other forces applied to the louver. U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,470 issued to Norbury et al., which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein, describes a louver with a rotational portion that interlocks with a stationary portion.
A louver may be used to diffuse and direct fluid exiting a vent of a ventilation system in a desired direction. A louver may include a rack and pinion system. The rack and pinion system may allow louver manufacturers to mold or machine louver components that are easy to assemble. Louvers that utilize rack and pinion systems may have fewer individual parts than conventional louver designs. The components of a louver may be easily, quickly and efficiently assembled together to produce a louver.
In a louver embodiment, the louver includes a face plate or bezel, a first housing, louver vanes and a second housing. The face plate and the first housing may include rack gears that engage pinions of the louver vanes when the face plate and first housing are joined together.
In a louver embodiment, the louver includes a face plate, a first housing, and louver vanes. The louver vanes include axles that fit within holders. The holders may be, but are not limited to, recesses or retainers of the first housing. The face plate includes at least one rack gear that engages pinions of the louver vanes. When the face plate is laterally moved relative to the first housing, the rack gear rotates the pinions so that the louver vanes rotate. In an alternate embodiment, axles of louver vanes are placed within holders in the face plate. The holders may be, but are not limited to, recesses or retainers. The first housing includes a rack gear that engages pinions of the louver vanes. When the face plate is laterally moved relative to the first housing, the rack gear rotates the pinions so that the louver vanes rotate. As the vanes rotate, the vanes laterally translate along with the face plate.
Conventional louver designs typically include linking structures attached to louver vanes that allow the vanes to simultaneously move when a wheel, lever or other actuator is engaged. The connecting links may require that each vane of the louver be different from other vanes. The connecting links may make assembling a louver difficult and/or time consuming. The use of a rack and pinion system to allow simultaneous movement of louver vanes may allow a face plate of the louver to be the actuator of the louver. The use of the face plate as the actuator provides a large surface for a user to contact so that a user may contact and adjust the louver without needing to visually check operation of the louver.
Elimination of a separate component actuator from a louver design may expand possibilities of face plate styles. The use a face plate to control positions of louver vanes may remove design restrictions that limit face plate styles of conventional louvers due to space restrictions associated with louver vane actuators and linking structures. Various grid patterns in conjunction with a crown, dome, flat, square, round, oval or other style of face plate body may be used. The face plate may be free of vane actuator mechanisms that protrude from the plate and mar or otherwise influence the aesthetic appearance of the louver and system to which the louver is attached.
Use of a rack and pinion system of louver movement may allow all louver vanes of the louver to be substantially identical. Having substantially identical louver vanes may simplify the louver design, may reduce inventory requirements, and may reduce time and labor needed to assemble louvers. The simplified louver design may reduce the possibility of louver failure. The louver vanes may include domed surfaces that contact other louver body surfaces to inhibit rattling of the vanes due to vibration during use.
An advantage of the louver is that a frame of the louver is used to change the directional flow of forced air through the louver. An external face of the louver is the activation mechanism of the louver. The louver requires no connecting link mechanism to each vane or separate component actuator that extends above the louver face to allow for adjustment of vane position. The face provides a user with a large surface to contact or grasp when the user adjusts the position of the louver vanes.
Another advantage of the louver is that each louver vane may be substantially identical to other louver vanes. Having substantially identical louver vanes may reduce the number of distinct parts needed to assemble a louver, may simplify assembly of the louver, and may reduce assembly time needed to form a louver. The reduction of the number of distinct parts needed to produce a louver may simplify and reduce the expense of molds that produce the components of the louver. In some louver embodiments, louver vanes may not be identical. For example, in a louver embodiment, end louver vanes have wider blades than central vanes of the louver so that the end vanes contact surfaces of a louver housing when a face plate of the louver is fully extended in a first or second direction. The ability to use louver vanes of varying widths may allow for the use of louver vanes that are sized to fit a louver of a specific length with a louver that has a longer length.
An advantage of the louver is that the louver may have a position indicator that indicates when the louver is in a reference position. Typically, the reference position indicates when a face plate of the louver is at, or substantially at, a mid-point position relative to an unmovable portion of the louver or relative to an opening in a ventilation system. When the position indicator is in an engaged position, the louver vanes may be positioned substantially perpendicular to a rack of the louver so that fluid flow through the louver is directed substantially straight out of the louver. In some embodiments, movement of a face plate of the louver may allow vanes of the louver to be closed or substantially closed to inhibit fluid flow through the louver. In some embodiments, the louver vanes may be moved to a closed position by linearly moving a face plate fully away from the engaged position in a first direction or in a direction that is opposite to the first direction. Some louver embodiments may include position indicators that are not located at or substantially at a mid-point position of the face plate.
Further advantages may include that the louver is sturdy, strong, compact, durable, light-weight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, ecologically compatible, energy conserving, and reliable; yet the louver may also be easy to manufacture, install, operate and maintain.